Starting device for internal-combustion engines.



S. T. REEVES, STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26,1910. 7

Patented Aug. 22,1911.

AttorneQs the clutch mechanism, its 0 ject be' UNITED sTArrns PATENT O SAMUEL T. REEVES, 0F ALBANY, WISCONSIN- STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patenw Application filed September 20, 1910. Serial Io. seam.

To all whoniit may concern:

Beit known that I, Semi.-

T. Rnmvns, a at of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Starting Device for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification. I I

This invention relates to startin devices for internal combustion en ines an includes a hand crank and a clutc mechanism for connecting the same to the engine shaft.

The invention relates more articularly to to provide a mechanism of this, kind which enables the engine to be readily started from a state .of rest, and which mechanism is constructed so that the operator is protected against injury in case the engine kicks back, and thus causes a reverse rotation of the engine shaft, the hand crank being automaticall released in this event. he invention'also has for its object to provide a starting device which enables the and crank to'be placed in the'most convenient position for operation, regardless of the position of the engine shaft.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be manifest when the same is 1 construction and arrangement of by means of a screw or other suitable means 6, a hand crank 7 having on one side of its hub a sleeve-like extension 8, the internal diameter of said sleeve being reater than the diameter of the starting sha t, in order that the parts to be hereinafter described which encircle the shaft, may enter the sleeve. The

opposite end of the shaft carries a transverse pin 9 which is adapted to enter an inclined slot 10 made in the end of the engine shaft 11, said end having an axial sobket 12 to receive the end of the starting. shaft which carrice the pin 9. The starting and engine,

shafts are in axial alinement, and the former is movable in the direction of its length, so that its end which carries the in 9 may be inserted into the socket 12, witli" said pin entering the notch 10, whereby the two shafts are coupled together. By inclining the slot 10, the twoshafts will be automatically uncoupled when the engine shaft is started, its speed then being greater than that of the starting shaft, in view of which the pin will pass out of the slot, and atthe Patented Aug. '22, 1911. I

same time the starting shaft is moved in the direction of its length, away from the engine shaft, and out of the socket 12. Vanous other devices may be employed for coupling the starting and engine shafts together.

That portion of the startin shaft 5 which is adjacent to'the hand cran 7 is encircled by a coiled spring 13, to one end ofwhich is 'rlgidly secured by means of'a key or. other suitable fastening means 14, to a ratchet'disk 15. In the other end ,of the s ring is made a notch 16 which extends para lel to the axis The sleeve 18 is snugly encircled by a of the s ring. Into this notch extends a lug coiled spring 19, but is not attached theretdz The s ring 19 base notch 21 which extends paral el to its axis, and whichnotch is entered by a lucgl or, key 22 carried by the sleeve 8, on the insi e thereof, the sprin extending into said sleeve. That portion 0 the spring 19 which is outside the sleeve 8, is loosely carried by a'sleeve 23. v

A housing 24 incloses the ratchet disk 15, and has an extension 25 on one side which incloses the sleeve 23, and theparts within the same. This housin will be suitably fastened to some convenient portion of the engine frame. The housin is so dimensioned that the ratchet dis 15 is free to move back and forth therein when the starting shaft 5 is moved in the direction of i length as already described.

At diametrically opgositepoints, the hous ing 24 is provided Wit apertures 26 in which are mounted the interior 0 awls 27 which Project into Fthe housing'so as the teeth of the ratchet disk 15, said pawls being pressed into engagement with the ratchet te'et-h'by means'o'f c'oilsprings 28 10- cated in the apertures 26, as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The shaft 5 is provided with a shoulder 29, one end ofwhich engages the ratchet disk 15 on that side opposite the side. on which the springs 13 and 19 are located. H The. opposite end of the shoulder, 29 is "engaged by one end of a coiled spring 30,. said spring'being coiled around the starting shaft, and abutting at its other end" against stationary portion 31 of the engine frame. .The function of this spring is to, assist the longitudinal movement of the starting shaft in a direction to release the engineshaft. When the starting shaft is advanced to place the coupling pin 9 within the socket 10, the spring is compressed, and

at the same time the ratchet disk 15 is moved forwardly in the housing 24.so that its teeth are engaged by the pawls 27. When the starting shaft becomes disconnected from the engine shaft the spring retracts the starting shaft still further, and disengages the ratchet disk from the pawls, the starting shaft, and the disk, as well as the other parts associated therewith traveling rearwardly in the housing. The rearward; movement of the parts is limited by a shoulder 32 in the housing. Inasmuch as the spring7 13 is.

normally loose on the starting s a and the spring'19 is norm'all loose on the sleeve 18, the hand crank 7 is normally disc0n' nected from the starting shaft. i That portion' of the screw 6 which passes-through the hub of the hand crank is without ment of the starting shaft, the

the screw being to prevent OBdWlSG separation of the hand crank and the starting threads, and it passes loosely through the hub -so that the hand crank may have, a rotary movement independent of the movepurpose of shaft. When the hand crank is turnedin --the direction in which the engine shaft rotates when running it is automatically coupled to the starting shaft through the arrangement of sprin and sleeves herein described. This coup mgaction is effected in the following manner: -When the hand crank is turned in the direction stated, the

connecte sa d the spring 13, and the latter therefore binds 6:

on the starting shaft 5, and said shaft now rotates with the hand crank, and thus rotates the engine shaft; The 'teeth of the ratchet disk 15 are so arranged that the pawls slip back, and thus ermit the disk to rotate with the starting s aft. In case the engine should fire back, the ratchet disk prevents rotation of the revolving parts vupon the starting shaft 5 in the reverse direction, and as said ratchet disk is fastened to the spring 13, it lessens the torsional, resistance applied by thehand crank, and allows the startingshaftto slip in itsgrasp,

thusprot'ecting the operator against 1n ury. By providing the two springs 13 and "19 it is possible to turn the hand crank in I .a reverse direction, and place it in the most advantageous position, regardless of the position o the engine sha without turning the engine over, or releasing the pawls of the ratchet. The reverse movement of the hand crank does not twist the s' ring 19 so as to grip the sleeve 18 and it w l thereforebe evident that the hand crank may be placed in any position most convenient for starting the engine. 'It is only when the hand crank 7 is turned for-- wardly that the spring 19 grips the sleeve .18, the gripping actionbeing increased in proportion to the power applied to the hand crank.

What is claimed '1S!- 1. The combination with arotatable element, of a coiled spring encircling the same, a ratchet disk connected to one end of the spring, a sleeve encirclin the spring, and connected to the other en thereof, a spring encirclin to. the second mentioned spring, a stationar'yvmember, and a awl'carrled by said stationary member sai .pawl engagin the aforesaid ratchet disk. g

2. The combination with a rotatable element, of a resilient member 'encirc'lingjthe same, a ratchet disk secured to one end of the member,=a sleeve encircling the member, and connected to the same, a second resilient member encircling the sleeve, a rotatable member connected to the second mentioned resilient member, a stationary member, and

a awl carried'b the stationary member, d sk pawl engaging the aforesaid ratchet 1 1 r t i 3. The combination with a rotatable element, of a coiled springencircling the same and held'against rotary movement thereon,

a sleeve encircling the spring, and connected toonerend thereof, a spring encircling the sleeve, and a rotatable mem er connected to the second mentionedspring.

4. The combination with a rotatable element, of, a resilient member encircling the With a sin le spring it would be impossible to do t 18" the sleeve, a rotatablemember thereon, 3 sleeve encirciiigthfememberaand ture-m the presence oftwo witnesses. connecte to one end ereo a secon .-1"esilient'member encircling the s1eeve,' and a. n M R E erotatablemember connected to they second Witnesses: V

mentioned resilient member. M -JonNID.-AYnEs,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing Cms. A; Fnmwn;

same and held against i-btery nmvement. as niy own, I hive heretd aflixed 'iny signs- Copies 6! this patent maybe 'ebta lned for lye cent! ,ea'ch, b'y addreising the cbnimiaiionu of Intentz,

Washlnzton, D. G. 

